Flame
by TheHonoraryAmerican
Summary: AU. Junior year is coming to an end for Jennifer Jareau. Things are changing between her and her best friend, William LaMontagne Jr. Suddenly, she's faced with a choice; keep quiet and protect what she already has, or tell the truth and potentially throw everything away. Rated M for mature scenes and references.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I know, I know, ANOTHER new story? Well, this one is mostly just for fun. Probably going to be full of clichés but I don't care haha. Enjoy!**

* * *

Throwing her long blonde hair back over her shoulder, Jennifer Jareau let out an exasperated sigh as she stepped through the front door of her home.

Dropping her bag by the hall table, she knocked the door closed with her foot, setting her key down beside her mom's car keys.

"I'm home!" she called out, straightening up and walking towards the kitchen. She could hear her mom in there, preparing dinner for the two of them. Beyond the kitchen, the television in the lounge room was on, the evening news playing clearly.

"Hey sweetheart, how was your day?" Sandy asked warmly as JJ entered the room. She was busy over the stove, stirring a pot of sauce while another pot filled with pasta boiled away on the back burner.

"Nothing new," JJ said with a grin, approaching her mother. Reaching out, she took over stirring, allowing her mom to step back and have a break. "Will got kicked out of class for being an idiot again. Emily's having boy drama, as usual. Pen is still hopelessly in love with Derek but refuses to tell him. Spencer read _four_ massive books last night... honestly, nothing's changed"

Sandy laughed. "They should start a sitcom about your friends. It would be number one within the month"

JJ giggled, nodding as she leant against the counter, still gently stirring their dinner.

For almost the last five years, this had been her evening once arriving home from school. Together, they would finish preparing dinner, and then, they would sit down to eat together, all the while sharing what had happened during their day. It was a ritual that was so simple, but something they both loved all the same.

It had all started when JJ was just eleven years old. Her older sister, Rosaline, had taken her own life with a blade to her wrists, an event that had rocked their family to its core. Less than a year later, their father had passed away. While the doctors had said it was a long undiagnosed aggressive form of cancer that had taken him from them, JJ felt it was more the grief of losing his daughter than anything else.

And so since then, it had just been JJ and Sandy. For a long time, it had been hard. But eventually, they had just learned to adjust to their new life, and while they still held Rosaline and Michael in their hearts, they were happy and content as they were.

"So what did Will do to get thrown out of class?" Sandy asked as she crossed to the fridge to get out some Parmesan cheese.

"He was making pigeon noises every time Miss Gibson turned her back," JJ laughed.

"Are you guys six or sixteen?" Sandy asked, making JJ laugh harder. "Will is just a troublemaker"

"Mom, you know he's fine," JJ said with a grin, turning off the burner as her mom came around behind her to take the pot of pasta off the stove.

"He's a sweetheart, he is, but he has the mental maturity of a four year old," Sandy replied, laughing as she carried the pasta over to drain it in the sink.

It took only a few more minutes for them to have their dinner served up, and before too much longer, they were sitting down to eat.

"Dave was saying today that his parents have offered him their beach house for the summer. He wants us all to come with him and spend a few days out there over the break," JJ said as she twirled some pasta around her fork.

"Dave, who's Dave?" Sandy asked hurriedly.

"David Rossi? He's a senior, you met his parents at the soccer game a few weeks back. Giulia and Angelo?"

"Oh, yes, I remember," Sandy said with a nod. "They were really nice people, and now I remember you introducing me to David as well. He seems very nice"

"If he asks us to go with him, would you let me?" JJ asked.

Sandy shrugged, swallowing her mouthful of pasta before looking at her daughter. "I don't see why not. If Emily and Will go, I think it would be ok"

JJ smiled. "I'm sure they will. Dave said he'll let us know before the end of semester"

They ate in silence for a few more minutes before JJ spoke up again.

"What did you do today? Did you go get coffee from that cute guy at the corner shop near your work?"

"Uh, duh," Sandy said dryly, making JJ burst out laughing. "He looks like a Hemsworth brother, like I _wouldn't_ get coffee from him"

"He's like half your age though," JJ giggled.

"What makes you think I'm not scouting him for you?" Sandy chuckled.

"Good, because I'm not having much luck on my own," JJ said with a laugh. "All the guys at school are like Neanderthals"

Sandy had to laugh.

"Ah, some things never change"

* * *

 _ **Emily: I don't even know what the fuck is going on with Mark, he's being such a dick**_

 _ **JJ: Em... what do you even see in him?**_

 _ **Pen: ^^**_

 _ **Emily: I don't know, he's kinda cute**_

 _ **Pen: YOU CAN DO BETTER**_

 _ **Emily: I know, but I can't be bothered**_

 _ **JJ: *laughing emoji* my life**_

Chuckling, JJ set her phone down on the bedside table before sliding beneath her covers. Just as she was about to reach over and switch off her lamp, her phone buzzed again. This time, however, it wasn't the girls.

 _ **Will: Coo... coo**_

Laughing, JJ picked up her phone again and opened the message.

 _ **JJ: You are such an idiot, I thought Gibson was going to KILL you**_

 _ **Will: can't spell cool without coo**_

Sniggering under her breath, JJ shook her head.

 _ **JJ: Did you message me at this time of night just to annoy me with pigeon jokes?**_

 _ **Will: ...**_

 _ **Will: yep *laughing emoji***_

 _ **JJ: you're a goof**_

 _ **Will: I try my hardest**_

 _ **JJ: can I go to sleep now?**_

 _ **Will: sure. Goodnight.**_

Typing a quick reply, she set the phone back down on the bedside table. Just before she went to lie down, the screen lit up again.

 _ **Will: Hey JJ**_

 _ **Will: coo coo**_

Rolling her eyes, she bit back a grin, before lying down and closing her eyes. She hadn't realised until she'd gotten into bed how tired she'd been.

Less than ten minutes later, she was fast asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hope you enjoy! Please leave a review if you can!**

* * *

Loud and crowded as usual, the cafeteria was a bustling hive of activity come lunch. Laughter, jeers, and good natured conversation filled the large hall as JJ made her way to the table already occupied by her friends.

"Meatloaf, potatoes, and milk that probably expired in 1992," Emily was moaning in disgust as she sat down. "You'd think the ambassador could ask her kitchen staff to make me something edible for lunch, but no... man, I'd kill for cheese and crackers"

The others laughed.

"Here," JJ chuckled, pulling her sandwich out of her bag and splitting it in half. Handing one half to Emily, she smiled. "Take it"

"Don't charity feed me," Emily replied.

"No, I'm saving you from... whatever hybrid disease that meatloaf might be carrying," JJ insisted. Emily grinned, nodding her thanks as she took the sandwich half from her friend and pushed her tray aside.

"You gonna share with me?" Will teased, nudging JJ's side.

"You _forgot_ your lunch, Emily has no choice," JJ laughed. "Seriously Will, you'd forget your head if it wasn't screwed on"

"You'd remember it for me," Will said, a handsome grin on his face as he spoke.

"Hmm... probably not," JJ shot back, sticking her tongue out at Will, who responded the exact same way.

"Ok, I know I say this all the time, but can you two just date already?" Penelope cut in with a giggle.

"We'd kill each other if we dated," Will laughed, as JJ nodded in agreement. Penelope pouted.

"At least _pretend_ it could happen, make my heart happy!" she exclaimed.

"Hate to break up this incredibly intelligent discussion you're having," Dave sniggered from further down the table. "But I spoke to my parents about the beach house and we're definitely cool to use it this summer, so who's in?"

"I'm definitely in!" Emily exclaimed, setting down her lunch as JJ nodded enthusiastically.

"Me too!" Penelope said happily.

"Count me in," Will replied.

"If Baby Girl's going, I'm definitely in," Derek said

"Spencer? Aaron?" Dave asked, turning to the remaining two at the table who had been more focused on their food than the discussions.

"Sure. Sounds like it'll be fun," Aaron replied, shrugging as half a smile found its way onto his usually stoic face.

"I'll come," Spencer piped up with a smile; as the quietest and most studious member of the group, he was always grateful to be included in the activities they organised outside of school.

"Can I bring Mark?"

JJ and Penelope simultaneously groaned, making the guys laugh.

"Sure," Dave chuckled, shaking his head at JJ and Penelope. "The more the merrier"

"He's so... why," JJ said dryly as Will laughed again. "Like, honestly, even the sex can't be worth it"

"Thanks JJ," Emily replied, rolling her eyes before she let out a little laugh. "He's not _that_ bad"

"Whatever you say," Penelope said dramatically, making Emily shake her head, unable to fight off the smile at her friends' teasing.

* * *

"Em's still dating Mark, and now she's bringing him to the beach house in the summer," JJ groaned as she collapsed onto the couch opposite her mother after dinner. Over dinner, she had filled in her mom on their more concrete plans they had made, and now, she was starting to get excited about the trip. Only two weeks remained until summer break, but it felt like forever to JJ.

"Please be nice to him," Sandy said with a chuckle; she knew how forward JJ could be at times, and she also knew that that trait had gotten her daughter into trouble on several occasions.

"I will, but he's so _ugh_... pretentious and British... he's such an asshole to her sometimes," JJ complained.

"Why doesn't Emily break up with him if he treats her like crap?" Sandy asked.

"Because, and this is words from her own mouth, she can't be bothered trying to find someone else," JJ said dryly, getting a laugh out of her mother.

"I don't understand Emily, but she makes me laugh, honestly," Sandy chuckled.

"So you're definitely letting me go with them?"

Sandy nodded. "I don't see why you shouldn't go. Just don't do anything stupid"

JJ tipped her head, giving her mom a pointed look. "Me, stupid? Never"

"Yes, because you and Will riding your bikes through the woods in the dark wasn't a stupid idea at all," Sandy said dramatically.

"He was helping me overcome my fear of the woods," JJ said pointedly.

"Until you hit that rock and went over the handlebars," Sandy reminded her. JJ laughed sheepishly.

"Obviously _that_ bit wasn't meant to happen"

Sandy laughed, shaking her head. "You are a worry"

"I promise I'll be careful when we go away. No accidents, incidents, injuries, or anything else like that," JJ said sincerely. "But enough about that, it's still a month away... what did the hot coffee guy have to say today?"

Sandy's face lit up. "I found out his name! It's Corey!"

JJ laughed at the sheer excitement on her mom's face. "Is he a long-lost Hemsworth brother?"

Now it was Sandy's turn to laugh. "You know, funnily enough, I don't think we've known each other long enough for me to make a joke like that"

"Tomorrow you have to find out his last name so I can Facebook stalk him," JJ said, making her mom laugh again. "If he's no good for me, he's certainly got to be better than Mark"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hope you enjoy! Shall I skip to the beach house week now?**

* * *

Summer break was upon them, and JJ couldn't be happier about it. No homework, no assignments, and no worries meant they were free to plan their upcoming beach house trip, which they had decided would take place on the weekend leading into the Fourth of July.

"Make sure Mark brings condoms," JJ was saying cheekily as Emily returned to the table with a glass of water. "Because a baby or an STI is _so_ not the souvenir you want from summer"

"I'll keep that in mind smartass," Emily jibed, prompting laughter.

"We can't forget the beer, if you forget the beer, I'll drown myself the minute we get there," Derek said insistently as Dave hastily scribbled down items they would need on a scrap piece of paper.

"Hey, what if we don't like beer?" JJ cut in, a cheeky grin crossing her face.

"Don't worry sweet cheeks, we'll get you some girly shit," Derek teased, getting a rude gesture from JJ as the others started to laugh. "We all remember what happened the last time you had beer anyway"

"I seem to remember walking in on you with your hands down Jackson Hawke's pants and his tongue halfway down your throat," Emily said with a mischievous grin, making JJ narrow her eyes as the laughter grew. On JJ's other side, Will shifted in his seat, his laughter fading as the conversation progressed.

"Excuse me, it wasn't Jackson, it was his older brother, I have higher standards than that thanks," JJ replied defiantly, causing Derek to howl with laughter as Dave gave her an 'atta girl' look from the end of the table.

"Can we get back to the task at hand?" Aaron cut in, sounding annoyed, but looking equally as amused.

"How about we go to the mall and get something to eat, then we'll finish this off later?" Dave suggested; they'd been growing increasingly more rowdy and restless as the day wore on.

No-one argued, and within minutes, they were filing out the door to head to the local mall.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, they were walking through the busy mall towards the food court, talking animatedly between each other as they strolled along.

Walking at the back of the group with Will, JJ was hanging off of every word between Emily, Penelope, and Tara. Tara had been a somewhat last minute addition to the group's summer plans, as had Derek's friend from the football team, Luke Alvez, but the two got along so well with everyone else, it was considered that the more, the merrier. It was shaping up to be a good summer, and everyone seemed to be really excited about it.

"He bought me flowers to apologise, which was really sweet," Emily was saying as Penelope rolled her eyes.

"Em, he shouldn't have to apologise, he's just a dick in general," she replied without hesitation, making Tara laugh.

"He's not that bad," Emily chuckled. "You just hate his Britishness"

"Well, you're not wrong," Penelope agreed.

JJ opened her mouth to butt in, but was suddenly pulled back by Will, who'd stopped walking and was now pulling her back towards him. The others kept walking, oblivious to the fact that two of their number had stopped.

"What's wrong?" JJ asked, confused.

"I just wanted to ask you something, on your own," Will replied, leading her out of the middle of the corridor and into a little alcove that led to the emergency exit hallway.

"Ok?" JJ said, leaning against the wall, still just as confused.

"What was Emily talking about earlier? With you and Tyler Hawke?" Will asked quietly.

"Oh," JJ said, frowning slightly. "It was nothing... we just got a little hands on at his New Year's Eve party, that's all"

"I was at that party," Will said slowly.

JJ shrugged, not quite following his train of thought.

"Why didn't you say anything about it?" he continued.

Laughing slightly, JJ shook her head. "Because I didn't think it was important? It wasn't such a big thing that I was going to tell everyone... Emily only knows because she walked in by accident"

Seeing that Will was looking a little put out, she reached out, patting his arm gently. "Look, Will... you're my best friend, but I don't have to report back to you on everything I do"

Will opened his mouth to reply, but JJ cut him off.

"They're going to be wondering where we are," she said softly, before turning and walking back out into the corridor, leaving Will to think over what she had just said.

* * *

By the end of the day, they had a comprehensive list of what they would need for the beach house. Will and JJ had pushed aside their conversation and were back to being their usual goofy selves. Mark had shown up around mid afternoon, prompting JJ and Penelope to engage in a lot of sly eye rolling and feigning gagging behind his back.

All in all, it was shaping up to be a good weekend. All they had to do now was wait until the Fourth of July.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Not sure why, but I imagined this being set in Pittsburgh, so there's your point of reference.**

* * *

After an almost six and a half hour drive (including two rest breaks and one unplanned stop when Penelope unexpectedly got carsick), their week away in Cape May was set to begin.

The Rossi's beach house was huge, and saying that was definitely an understatement. Panelled in sea breeze blasted weatherboard, it stood tall and defined at the end of the quiet road they had come down to reach it. It was a fair distance from the nearest neighbouring house, and as such, the beachfront behind it was often isolated and deserted; exactly what the group wanted.

"Ok, there's three bedrooms upstairs and two downstairs, but only one downstairs is useable. It's pretty big, can sleep about five people... so maybe some of us guys can bunk in there," Dave suggested.

"Mark and I'll share," Emily said immediately, looping her arm through Mark's as he gave her a dopey grin. JJ resisted the urge to feign vomiting.

"I'll go with Tara," Penelope said happily, before turning to JJ. "Unless you wanna share?"

"JJ and I can bunk in together, that leaves the rest of you free to go into the downstairs room," Will suggested.

No-one batted an eye at Will's suggestion; the two had been best friends almost all their lives and had shared a bed more than a dozen times when sleeping space was limited at overnights.

"Alright, well, unpack all your shit, then we might have just enough time for a quick walk before dinner. I'll show you down to the beach," Dave said, reaching into the back of his truck and lifting out a crate of food.

Half an hour later they had all three vehicles unpacked, and everyone had settled themselves into one of the rooms. Dave, Aaron, Luke, Spencer, and Derek had moved themselves into the downstairs room ('It used to be the lounge room, but then Mom and Dad extended the house'), where Spencer had quickly taken up residence on the wooden bed nearest the window, clearly wanting to be able to see the moonlight once it got dark.

Upstairs, JJ and Emily had raced each other for the master bedroom, but being on the soccer team, JJ had won out, diving onto the huge king bed before Emily had even crossed the threshold, much to Will's amusement.

"His parents must be loaded," JJ mused a little while later as she tossed her duffel bag onto the chair by the window. "I've never seen a beach house that more closely resembled the White House than a hermit shack"

Will snorted, flopping onto the bed and letting out a sigh.

"You nerds coming down to the beach or what?" came Dave's voice from the ground floor. Grinning, JJ walked out onto the landing, sticking her head over the railing to see Dave looking up at them.

"Who're you calling nerds?" she shot back.

Dave shrugged, grinning. "Well, you answered!"

Giving him the finger as he laughed, JJ turned around only to find Will standing in the doorway behind her, causing her to jump.

" _Jesus_ , don't _do_ that!" she exclaimed, punching him playfully in the shoulder as they started heading downstairs, Emily and Mark a few steps behind them. Will just laughed, jumping the last couple of steps as they reached the bottom.

Talking and laughing amongst themselves, they traipsed down the sandy path from the back deck and onto the shore.

In the distance across the water, they could see the lights of Lewes and Reheboth Beach, scattered across the coast as they began to flicker from beach house windows. Waves lapped gently at the sand a few feet in front of them, glowing golden as the last few rays of the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving a warm summer evening behind them.

"This is so nice," Penelope breathed softly as they all stood there, drinking it all in.

"My favourite place in the world. I loved coming here when I was growing up. Still do," Dave replied with a smile. "I'm glad you guys are all here to share it with me"

"It's going to be a good week. We'll make sure of it," Emily said happily, breaking into a smile that equalled Dave's as Mark put his arm around her shoulders.

One thing was certain.

Fourth of July was going to be _awesome_.

* * *

A quiet wind was fluttering gently through the window when JJ opened her eyes to moonlit darkness. Considering it was the dead of the night, she wondered for a moment if it was the rustle of the wind that had pulled her from her sleep. But as she yawned, she realised what had woken her up.

Despite the size of the bed they were sharing, Will was asleep on his stomach just to her right, the muscles in his back carefully illuminated by the moonlight seeping through the window. His right arm, however, was draped across JJ's stomach.

It was heavy and warm, a gentle soothing weight on her body. But it did strike JJ as strange... they'd shared beds before, and had never touched each other outside of the accidental nudges and kicks or a playful shove. Even in their sleep, they had always seemed to subconsciously give each other the space they deserved.

'Not that I'm really complaining' JJ thought to herself. It was kind of... nice.

Settling back down on her pillow, she made no move to push Will away or extract herself from beneath him. Whether it was out of enjoyment or not wanting to disturb his sleep, she wasn't totally sure.

But as she closed her eyes and began to drift back off to sleep, she subconsciously lifted her left hand, bringing it down to rest on top of Will's.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Enjoy!**

* * *

An air horn being let off downstairs just before nine the next morning was how their first day in Cape May began.

"Ughhh," JJ groaned, pulling her pillow over her ears as it went off once more. "Fuck you Dave!"

"You love me!" came Dave's cheeky reply from the foot of the stairs. "Come on sleepyheads, get your asses moving! You're wasting a beautiful day!"

Looking to her right, JJ was amazed to see Will had slept through both horns.

"Hey," she said, reaching out and jostling his shoulder. "Will"

"Sleeping," he mumbled, pushing her hand away. Grinning, JJ sat up, picking up her pillow. Swinging it over, she hit him in the head with it, making him crack his eyes open.

"Stop," he groaned, pushing it away. "You're annoying"

Casting her pillow aside, she turned her tactics to poking him repeatedly in the ribs, laughing as he tried to swat her away. Moments later, he was wide awake and had jumped up, throwing his arms around JJ and pinning her down to the bed as she burst out laughing.

"You're a pain in my ass," he chuckled, tickling her as she shrieked and tried to push him away.

"Well, you... should've got... up when Dave... blasted the air... horn," JJ said through laughter. Will grinned, tickling her right on her sides where he knew she was extremely ticklish. She screamed, more laughter escaping her as she tried to push him away.

"When you guys are done having sex, there's breakfast downstairs!" came Emily's teasing lilt through the door. Will looked up.

"Get your mind out of the gutter Prentiss!" he yelled with a grin, before letting JJ go.

"Just saying!" she called back, before heading away from the door, her footsteps growing more and more distant as she reached the stairs.

"Come on, let's go have something to eat," Will chuckled, standing up and helping JJ to her feet. Still grinning to themselves, they got dressed and left the room.

* * *

"Do you think they ever grow up?"

Emily's question to JJ was posed as they both lay on the sand, watching the guys playing a very physical game of football down in the shallows. Every few seconds, one of them would tackle one of the others, sending them down into the water. They were all soaked and covered in sand as they ran about, shouting playful insults at each other.

"Hmm... I'm gonna go with no," JJ said, laughing as Emily shook her head at their friends. Over to their left, Tara and Penelope were deeply engrossed in conversation; knowing Penelope, it was about guys.

After an amazing breakfast that Dave had prepared as an advance apology for the air horn, they had spent the entire day so far down at the beach. The guys had straightaway gone for roughhousing each other through sport, while the girls had decided to set up an umbrella and their towels, basking in the warm sunlight as they chatted easily.

"Did you and Mark get it on last night?" JJ asked teasingly.

"No, the bed's too squeaky, everyone from here to Los Angeles would've heard us," Emily replied, making JJ laugh as she adjusted her sunglasses. "But who was the one who got the quiet squeak-free bed? The one who's rooming with her friend"

"I beat you to it fair and square," JJ chuckled. Down on the sand, yells and cheers erupted as Spencer, who had probably never held a football in his life, managed to tackle Will into the water, much to the amusement of the girls.

"Hey, tell me something," Emily said quietly after they'd settled down again. "Why haven't you and Will dated?"

Pushing herself up onto her elbows, JJ shrugged. "We're just better as friends. We've been best friends for years... why mess with something good?"

"I know, but like... you realise you have like the best chemistry of anyone I've ever seen?"

Looking down towards where Will was running after Derek, JJ fell silent for a moment, watching as the sun bounced off of his summer bronzed skin. His abs looked even more chiselled in the dazzling sunlight than JJ had ever seen them before... not to mention the droplets of water shimmering on his skin-

"It doesn't matter," she said quickly, tearing herself from her thoughts. "He doesn't like me like that... we're just friends"

Emily paused for a moment before replying, her dark eyes watching JJ curiously.

"Do you like him?"

"I did, a couple of years ago. But I grew up and moved on. He doesn't notice me as more than his friend, and I'm ok with that. We have a good relationship... I don't need to screw it up," JJ said. Her voice was growing quiet, and Emily could tell she was ready for the subject to change.

"You know... I was kind of surprised your mom let you come all this way with no adult supervision," she said lightly.

It was the perfect change of topic, because no sooner had the words left her mouth than JJ had laughed.

"So was I. She said that at least if you and Will were going, she'd be fine with it. I was thinking that honestly, if you and Will were going, there was a higher potential for mischief, but I didn't tell her that," she replied. Emily laughed with her.

"There's going to be mischief. That's for sure. Does your mom know about the alcohol?"

JJ's eyes twinkled. "Some of it"

Emily laughed again.

"Oh Jareau, you can be trouble"


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Enjoy!**

* * *

Fourth of July arrived with blazing sun and the promise of a wonderful day down by the beach.

They had wasted all of the weekend down on the sand, enjoying the sun and the salt water; they were all looking a little more brown than usual, and JJ's blonde hair was looking extra sun kissed and golden. The start of their Fourth of July had been no different; bathing suits were the dress code, and the beach was the venue.

The alcohol had started flowing in the late afternoon, just before they'd retreated to the back deck to enjoy a barbecue dinner. Once they were all full to bursting with hot dogs and burgers, they had traipsed back down to the beach, where, in the dying light, the guys had built a bonfire.

And so there they were, in the enveloping darkness, watching the fireworks being launched across the coast in Reheboth Beach, as well as the Cape May fireworks being launched a distance up the coast from where they were.

"I can't believe next year is our senior year," Penelope mused as they sat in a circle around the dancing flames, the distant pops of the fireworks like a background track to their evening.

"It'll fly past, I promise," Dave replied. "This time next year, you'll be having your last hurrah before all heading off to college"

"Hopefully with a _little_ more alcohol," JJ chuckled, reaching over Will and swiping his beer bottle from his hand as the others laughed.

"Hey!" he exclaimed as she took a swig before handing it back. "You had your girly shit before"

"Wasn't hard enough," she replied with a cheeky grin. Will rolled his eyes, taking a mouthful of his beer before setting it down in the sand beside him.

They talked and laughed for what felt like hours, until well after the last fireworks had faded into smoke. Emily and Mark got steadily more drunk than the rest, until they both flopped down in the sand and started making out. JJ and Penelope had loudly protested by throwing empty cans at them until they resurfaced amidst much laughter.

Yawning, JJ leaned over towards Will, who was watching the others as they mucked around with a grin on his face.

"I think I'm gonna go to bed... I'm pretty tired," she said softly, starting to stand up. To her surprise, Will got to his feet as well.

"I'll come with you, I've been half asleep for the past hour but I didn't want to be the first to bow out," he admitted as they started walking along to the track that led to the house. Not one of their extremely tipsy friends had noticed them get up.

JJ laughed, falling into step beside him.

"You really don't like Mark do you?" Will asked with a knowing smile.

"Not really. He's so pretentious," JJ replied. "Do you?"

"He's ok... but I've known Emily longer than I've known Mark, and she can do better," Will said.

"Thank you!" JJ said dramatically, getting a laugh out of Will. "Dave thinks he's fine, but like... Emily's _gorgeous_ and she decided to saddle herself with him"

"Yeah, he's alright sometimes, but he honestly doesn't really deserve her," Will agreed. "She's just too lazy to move on"

"Typical Em," JJ said, rolling her eyes as Will chuckled. By now they had found the sandy track and were about halfway back up to the house, which sat ahead of them, practically glowing in the moonlight. The downstairs lights were still on, and the windows open, the veiled curtains fluttering gently in the sea breeze.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I was kinda surprised your mom actually let you come on a trip with no adult supervision," Will said, breaking the short silence that had fallen.

"Emily said the same thing. Both you and her were my ticket to coming, Mom trusts you guys... probably more than she should," JJ teased.

"Can't even argue with that," Will chuckled as they stomped up the deck stairs, banging the sand off their feet as they went.

They made their way inside, discarding their towels by the back door as they went. They climbed the stairs in relative silence, before making their way into their room.

"Didn't realise how tired I was until I saw that bed," Will sighed, crossing the room to get to his bag. He made no hesitation about pulling out the shorts he'd been sleeping in, casting them onto the mattress as he tugged his T-shirt off over his head.

JJ froze as the moonlight filtering through the open window immediately illuminated the definition in his muscles. It wasn't as if she'd never noticed his physique; Will had a great body, there was no denying it... but the alcohol in her system was starting to stir up the feelings she had pushed far to the back of her mind long ago.

"You can have the shower if you want it, I'll have one in the morning," Will said softly, picking up the shorts and starting to move around the bed. "I just need to get changed, and it's all yours"

As he moved past her, JJ put out a hand to stop him, resting it square in the middle of his stomach.

"What?" Will asked, frowning.

Her heart was pounding, the butterflies kicking up a storm in her stomach. Suddenly, it seemed like Will had moved closer...

Their lips crashed together, the world around them fading away into nothing as the sexual tension between them radiated into angry ebbing waves. They kissed with a ferocious need, with passion they'd never known they'd had. Will dropped the shorts he'd been holding, snaking an arm around JJ's waist and pulling her flush against him. They had both been tired, but now, they were wide awake, hearts racing in time with each other as they shared a kiss so fierce and so deep, they didn't know if it was going to end.

Will's hands were now scrabbling at the hem of JJ's shirt; clearly, he was nervous about taking it any further. But even in her uncertain state of mind about whatever their relationship was and where it was going, JJ knew what she wanted. Never breaking their kiss, she reached down, lifting her shirt halfway, prompting him to pull it all the way up.

They broke apart long enough for him to pull her shirt over her head and cast it aside. Breathing hard, JJ looked directly into his eyes, her hands resting against his chest as he held her close.

"Where is this going?" Will breathed.

"Why don't we just go with it?" JJ said, pulling him back in for another kiss. He never protested, his hands sliding down her back towards her ass.

And then they were falling backwards onto the bed and JJ's mind had become an empty cavern.

She'd had feelings for him a long time ago. And despite what she had told Emily just days earlier, they had never receded. Always his best friend, she had harboured growing feelings for him throughout their entire friendship. Now, all her reservations about putting them out in the open were gone with the summer breeze, and all she knew, all she wanted, was Will, and she wanted as much of him as she could get.

Needy and frenzied, their hands scrabbled at each other's remaining clothing. Will chose that moment to break the kiss and move his lips down to the curve of JJ's neck, making her draw in a sharp breath. Taking it as an invitation to continue, Will littered a trail of kisses down the side of her neck, lingering on her collarbones for a moment, before moving down towards her chest. When JJ didn't stop him, he continued his burning trail right down to her cleavage, his hand snaking under JJ's back towards the ties of her bikini.

"Just take it off," JJ said breathlessly.

It seemed like barely any time passed after those words left her mouth, but already, both of them were naked, their bodies flushed with arousal and begging for more. JJ had had a fleeting moment of insecurity; here she was, completely naked in front of her best friend... maybe something more. But it had quickly passed once Will had dipped his head down between her legs and effectively removed her ability to think. But now, there was no hesitation, no questioning as Will dug hastily through the drawer in the bedside table for a condom, his body showing no signs of nerves as he did so.

"I'm on the pill, just hurry," JJ groaned. She was so turned on, she felt like she was going to explode. She suspected the alcohol was playing a small part; as touchy feely as she had gotten with some guys in the past, she had never had sex. And yet, she wasn't nervous

"Better safe than sorry," Will replied, producing a small foil square from the drawer. He tore it open, wasting no time in pulling it on and moving so that he was lying back over JJ.

It hurt when he entered her, but not because he was rough. She winced a little, prompting Will to stay still for a moment before she encouraged him to keep going. He obliged, gently rocking his hips against hers.

It took a short while before they found a rhythm, JJ lifting her legs around his waist. She clutched at the bed sheets as their pace quickened, as if she was trying to pull herself to a release. She needed to come... if she didn't, she was surely going to burst. It was building up inside her, relentless as Will rocked his hips rhythmically against hers.

He thrust into her deeply once more, sending her flying over the edge with a scream of pleasure. The tightened coil in her belly released, her toes curling as waves of bliss radiated out from her core. Through breathless cries of pleasure, she closed her eyes, feeling as though she was soaring through the summer night sky. Somewhere in it all, she could feel Will above her, gently rocking his hips against hers as he coaxed himself through his own climax.

When she opened her eyes again, Will was collapsing in a sweaty, breathless heap beside her. Biting her lip, JJ smiled to herself, turning her head towards the open window, through which the sounds of their drunken friends walking loudly back to the house were drifting in.

What were you supposed to do once you slept with your best friend?

Will was moving around behind her, but a couple of minutes later, he pulled the rumpled blankets back from beneath JJ's bare body, before climbing into the bed and pulling them over the both of them.

Just as JJ was starting to question what they had just done, he wrapped his arms around her midsection, pulling her back against him and nuzzling sleepily against the back of her neck.

Smiling, JJ relaxed, closing her eyes again as the sliding door downstairs opened and heavy footsteps began clambering back inside.

Whatever this was... it could wait until morning.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Short one and kind of losing its track because I'm tired, but I'll pull it back in next chapter!**

* * *

The comforting feeling of Will's arms wrapped around her was no longer present when JJ awoke the next morning.

Hearing muffled voices from downstairs, she rolled onto her back, looking to the side where Will had fallen asleep the previous evening. The sheets had been thrown back, a rumpled reminder of the person she had shared her bed with the previous evening.

Pulling the sheet up to her chin, she stared up at the ceiling, her mind wandering back to the passionate, early hours of the morning as the sea breeze whispered through the open window. In the light of day, it seemed almost unreal, like a dream. But the dull soreness between her legs spoke a completely different story.

She'd had sex with Will. The scenario that her mind had often wandered to in the darkness of many a night, but had never once imagined coming true, had actually happened. It had been heated, frenzied, and yet… somewhat incredible.

But where did that leave them? They were now 'just friends' who had gotten more intimate than 'just friends' probably should. She'd lost her virginity to her best friend, which she wasn't sure that she actually regretted just yet, but that left them with a lot of things to figure out.

As she sat up, she hoped he hadn't told any of the others what had happened between them. At least, not until they figured out what they were.

Throwing the sheet back, she made to get up when her eyes fell to the red stain on the sheets between her legs.

"Oh shit," she groaned quietly. That explained the soreness.

Climbing out of bed, she cleaned herself up, before getting dressed and stripping the sheet away from the bed. Deciding to soak it in the sink, she quickly took it into the bathroom, filling up the sink with cold water and dumping the sheet into it. A few minutes later, she was making her way downstairs.

"There's the sleepyhead!" Dave called teasingly as she entered the kitchen. Everyone had gathered there, all in various stages of wakefulness. "If I remember, you were the first to call time last night"

"Yeah, I was pretty wrecked," JJ said with a grin. Off to her right, Emily was slumped over at the table, clearly nursing a pretty intense hangover. Judging by the behavior she and Mark had exhibited on the beach the previous evening, they had both had their fair share to drink.

"Well, it's our last day, and everyone's a bit… under the weather," Dave said, grinning as he nodded in Emily's direction. "A bit of sun before we go home is in order. But before that… are you hungry?"

"No, I'm ok, but thank you," JJ said, walking over to the coffee machine and pouring herself a cup. Will was sitting at the counter opposite, his eyes fixed firmly on the rim of his cup. Even when she fixed her gaze on him as she took the first sip of her coffee, he didn't look up.

Not once.

* * *

All throughout the day, Will had treated her as if nothing had happened. It was unnerving for her to say the least, but the biggest surprise came that evening when, sand swept, sun kissed, and exhausted, the entire group had retired to bed early.

A slight brush against each other as they had readied for bed had unearthed the buried feelings from the previous evening. They had shared another passionate encounter, this time fighting to stay quiet lest someone should hear them.

Hours later, JJ lay wide awake, her back to Will with one of his arms draped over her side, his deep rhythmic breathing only adding to the confusion encircling her mind.

Why was he being so cagey? Not one mention had been made of their escapade the previous night, and yet it had happened again.

The bigger question on JJ's mind, however, was why she wasn't more upset about it. She had so easily fallen into his charm again, perhaps believing that the second time around would lead to communication.

But here they were, Will sleeping peacefully behind her as she lay in exhausted turmoil.

Finally caving to exhaustion, she closed her eyes with a resolute decision.

If Will didn't bring it up come morning, then she would do it for him.


End file.
